Are you looking for an inexpensive option to feed your birds or the birds that come to your house?
Have you ever tried making your own seed logs?
It’s easy, and inexpensive, and birds love them.
Plus all you’ll need are items you already have at home or are easy to buy.
Would you like to make your own?
The process is quick and simple.
Gather a few simple things.
Prepare a PVC pipe with a four to six-inch diameter.
If you don’t have this or don’t want to buy one, you can use any plastic container with a four to six-inch diameter and around nine to ten inches in length.
You will also need the seeds of your choice, depending on which birds are always visiting your house.
Have gelatin and boiling water ready.
You also need to use a whisk, wooden spoon or rubber spatula, a mixing bowl, parchment paper, a large wide-mouth funnel, jute string (or another type of string that’s strong enough), a thick stick or branch, and a thin PVC pipe or wooden dowel.
For the seeds, you can have a mix of unhulled sunflower seeds, peanuts (shelled or unshelled), corn, millet, and even dried fruit.
This is going to be an experiment until you figure out which seeds are preferred by the birds that come.
You can have a seed log with mixed seeds, with one type of seed, with two types of seeds, or another combination altogether.
Feel free to make several.
You’ll want more than one seed log so that the birds don’t crowd in one log.
The string might not be able to hold all the weight, causing the log to fall down to the ground.
The squirrels will love it though.
What’s the next step?
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, grab your parchment paper, wax paper, baking paper, or whatever you’re using. Line the inside of your container.
There’s no need to grease the paper since the seeds won’t stick to it. You just need the paper to easily remove the seed log without destroying it.
Take the seeds you’re using and mix them in your bowl.
Once the water has boiled, pour it into a separate glass jar or bowl.
Add the packet of gelatin and whisk until all the gelatin has dissolved.
Pour the gelatin mixture onto the seeds and mix everything.
Use the funnel and a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture into the containers.
Fill it up about 2/3 full.
Secure the open bottom with a lid so it doesn’t fall off while it’s left to solidify.
You can use a greased skinny PVC pipe or a wooden dowel to create a hole in the center for the string to pass through.
Place it in the fridge overnight to help the solidifying process.
You can also leave it on your countertop if the house is cold enough and not at all humid.
Be picky about placement.
Where you put it and how you hang the seed log is also crucial.
If you’re not careful, squirrels will be able to jump or climb onto it before the birds can eat the seeds.
If you’re going to hang it, make sure it’s far away from any solid structures that squirrels can climb and jump from and onto the log.
If you’re placing it on a tall pole, add a squirrel deterrent to avoid them from climbing up.
Ready to make some seed logs?
See the step-by-step process for feeding the birds in your backyard in the video below!
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